


there's a ghost in my lungs

by CommanderMollyOBrien



Series: i'm not calling you a ghost (just stop haunting me) [3]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Abusive Relationships, Celebrimbor Has Issues, Celebrimbor has a permanent limp because of his torture, Celebrimbor lives, Disabled Character, Feanorian Elrond, Gaslighting, Gen, Kidnap Dads, M/M, Multi, Recovery, This relationship is a trash fire, but tyelpe deserves closure, chains but it really isn't sexy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27727552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderMollyOBrien/pseuds/CommanderMollyOBrien
Summary: In which Celebrimbor survives the War of the Elves and Sauron. Mind the tags, your health matters. Title from I'm Not Calling You A Liar by Florence + the Machine.
Relationships: Annatar/Celebrimbor | Telperinquar, Celebrimbor | Telperinquar & Elrond Peredhel, Celebrimbor | Telperinquar/Sauron | Mairon
Series: i'm not calling you a ghost (just stop haunting me) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028313
Comments: 18
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sauron leaves to negotiate his surrender to Ar-Pharazon. Celebrimbor plans his escape.

"Are these chains really necessary?" Tyelperinquar sighed, pulling on his restraints.

"I know you better than that, my treasure," Annatar petted his lover's hair, "If you aren't restrained, you'll try to leave again. You know your people would kill you for making our Rings. I have to keep you safe, Tyelpe. I don't want to have to discipline you again."

Tyelpe flinched. He still had the bruises from his last escape attempt, "Do you have to leave me here all alone?"

"I'm sorry, my treasure," Annatar kissed him softly. Tyelpe leaned into the kiss, and ran a hand through Annatar's elaborately styled hair. 

"Be good for me, Tyelpe. My regent isn't as kind as I am," Annatar kissed him again, and then slipped out the door.

Tyelperinquar waited for a minute, then flipped the blade out from the hairpin he had stolen from Annatar. He hummed a Song of opening, and within a few minutes, he had worked open the locks on his chains.

_You're not the only one who can trick people, my love._

Tyelperinquar considered his chances. He had no armor and a one-inch blade, there were at least three guards outside the door, and his leg injury from an old torture session was still so bad he couldn't run.

The usual odds, then. 

_I hope you're proud of me, Uncle Maitimo._

Tyelperinquar held his knife and started to make a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am convinced Maedhros is very, very proud of his nephew.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reunion.

Tyelperinquar parried an attack from yet another orc. His leg throbbed with the effort of putting his weight on it. Cursing, he slashed out at the orc with his stolen sword. It crumpled to the ground.

Tyelpe limped forward, leaning on his blade. He heard footsteps, raised his blade, and-

"Tyelpe?"

-dropped it. 

"Elrond, I-I'm sorry-" Tyelpe didn't know how he would have finished that sentence, but it didn't matter because Elrond was hugging him and weeping.

"I thought you were dead," Elrond was holding him so tightly that his old bruises had begun to ache, "I thought Þauron had killed you."

Tyelpe had begun to sob as well, "I thought you would hate me. For making the Rings, for trusting him, for-"

Elrond laughed through his tears, "I forgave my fathers. You think I would love them, but not you?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaz-the-Bard's excellent fics have influenced my love of Dramatic Misunderstandings involving Feanorian Elrond. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

"Tyelpe, this isn't good," Elrond said, "I can heal your more recent injuries, but some of these lacerations are too deep and too old to fully repair."

He nodded as if he wasn't surprised, "And what about my leg?"

Elrond sighed, "I can heal some of the damage and make it less painful, but you are going to need a cane for the foreseeable future."

Tyelperinquar stared at a point in the distance. Elrond was certain whatever was in that direction, he wasn't seeing it.

"Annatar said I was lucky to be allowed to walk at all after what I did. He kept me in chains for two months. I hated that collar more than I hated being beaten."

Elrond listened with all the calm of someone who had heard Maedhros Feanorion's stories of Angband, "Do you want to tell me what happened that made Þauron so angry?"

Tyelpe laughed humorlessly, "I drugged him. I was drinking with him in what I thought was one of his better moods and I saw him put something in my wine. I switched our glasses when he wasn't looking. I almost got out that time, but whatever was in that drink wears off fast on a Maia." 

"He was probably planning to beat me while I was paralyzed. It would've been better in the long run to just let him drug me," Tyelpe sighed, "Still, I've seen what he does to his other prisoners. It could have been a hell of a lot worse."

Elrond took his hands, "Don't be grateful you weren't hurt as badly as you could have been. You never need to do that."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, recovering from years of gaslighting by your terrible ex is a Process.

"Tyelpe, I have more bad news," Elrond looked exhausted.

Tyelpe's voice shook, "Annatar-Þauron can't have done anything, he's still a hostage, isn't he?"

"Don't worry, Þauron is still a prisoner," Elrond sighed, "It's _Calion_."

"Elbereth," Tyelpe asked, "What's he done now?"

"He's taking Þauron to Numenor and he's refusing to let us have any oversight of him," Elrond continued, "I read Calion's thoughts and Þauron has already started manipulating him. It's... not good, Tyelpe." 

After a long pause, Tyelpe said, "I need to see Annatar."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Elrond told him gently.

"Please, I need to-" Tyelpe sighed, "I still love him, or I love the person I thought he was. I need closure. And I need to say goodbye."

"Alright," Elrond said, "I'll take you to see Þauron."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A goodbye, of sorts.

"Have you come to torment me, my love?" Annatar was as lovely and as terrible as ever with Numenorean chains around his wrists. 

"I just came to talk," Tyelperinquar awkwardly sat down in front of him, "You aren't wearing your Ring."

Annatar smiled sharply, "No, I'm not." 

"You're going to take over Numenor, aren't you?" Tyelperinquar asked. It sounded harsher than he had thought it would. He didn't particularly mind.

"Of course," Annatar laughed, showing curved fangs.

"Do you plan to conquer Aman as well?" Tyelperinquar demanded, suddenly furious. He had gotten very tired of hearing Annatar's delicate, awful laughing, "Or perhaps the Void itself?"

"You sound very angry for someone who tricked me and stole from me," Annatar's voice was quiet and poisonous. 

"I tricked you? I stole from you?" Tyelperinquar shouted, "You lied to me, Þauron, and you tortured me! You stole the Seven and the Nine that I made!"

"You made the Three, the Seven and the Nine with _my_ information!" Annatar spoke fervently, "Tyelpe, had you told me where our Rings were, I would have given you the Three. I would have made you lord of all the Eldar and had you rule at my side, if only you had trusted me."

"I never wanted to be a king. I wanted to be your husband and to create by your side. You never really knew me, just as I never really knew you. We only ever loved the idea of each other," Tyelperinquar no longer seemed angry, just sorrowful, "I did not come to convince you of your mistakes, for that I cannot do. I came to say goodbye."

Tyelperinquar kissed him and stroked his hair. Annatar softly kissed him back. 

"Goodbye, Tyelperinquar Curufinwe. If I see you again, we will be enemies."

Tyelperinquar smiled sadly, "We already are. Goodbye, Annatar."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone. This is definitely not the end of this series and I have several other fics planned detailing Celebrimbor's recovery. I thrive off of comments and kudos.


End file.
